Comments on: A Hair Raising Tale

By: Nathan Swenson

Nathan Swenson — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:12:54 +0000

Hey, Doug. Back in the 70s, my mom would take me to Helmer’s and I would sit on the little wooden booster seat so he could have at me. Two things about those visits stick out as prominently as my morning bed-head: 1) Helmer used to wrap this scratchy piece of white paper around my neck, almost like a priest’s collar, for reasons that were never made clear to me. It certainly didn’t stop the hair from going down my back, which leads into…2) After he was finished with the cut, Helmer would grab this vacuum hose, hit a power swtich, and shove the thing down between my shirt and my back. With a twinkle in his eye he’d say it was to clean out all the box elder bugs. Now, being all of six years-old, I thought this to be a perfectly reasonable explanation. I wasn’t quite so sure about the horse in the basement, though…

By: Doug Lund

Doug Lund — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:25:33 +0000

The photo of Helmer Dahl comes from the 1964 Volga High School yearbook. It’s the annual school board picture. Helmer served on that board for many years. His barber shop was also the drop off and pick up place for dry cleaning. Many a haircut was interupted because he had to take care of those customers.

By: grouse

grouse — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:03:15 +0000

Doug, I forgot to ask where did you get that picture of Helmer? Isn’t that Howard Lee beside him? This had to be taken at somebody’s funeral.
Helmer came to my rescue the day principal Jay Ruckdaschel was evidently not particularly satified (not a misspelling) with some aspect of his life and instructed me to go get a haircut now, and not come back until it was cut. This was pre-Beatles, so it was just a rock and roll pompadour. This was shortly after mom died, so maybe I was rebelling a little bit.
I went to Helmer’s Barber Shop and he listened to my plight. He cut as little as possible. And like GP said, used a straight razor to “clean up” the edges.
When I got back to school, Ruck said he thought he told me to get a haircut. I told him I did, and that he should call Helmer. I don’t know what Helmer told him, but the subject never came up again.
Helmer was a Norwegian and a Lutheran….need I say more? He was the only barber a rock and roller could trust.

By: gp

gp — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:56:12 +0000

Some nice memories from “The Barber Shop”…. Do you remember how “grown up” we felt when we no longer had to use “the board” ? Remember the Coat Tree that stood by the door and the big long whisk broom that hung from it ? Remember when the barber would whip up some shaving creamin the mug, then put it around behind your ears and neck …then strop the straight edge on the leather and then “clean up” around the ears and neck…and then a little splash of “after shave” ? And those wonderful colorful bottles of hair oil ? Fitches…Lucky Tiger…Our “home town” Barber Shop also had two spitoons….uffda…feeda….they were horrible….Kids haircuts during the week were 35-cents, but on Sturdays…50-cents….cuz…that’s the day the farmers came to town for hair cuts and more… and the barber often cut from early morning til midnight. Ja…the Barber Shop….
Good Memory Doug….I think you should get a flat top and a jar of Butch Wax…..and—
Hmmmmm Do they still make “Butch Wax” ? GP

By: grouse

grouse — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 06:13:03 +0000

Geez Doug did you use a driver’s license photo or a mug shot from the friendly police photographer downtown? Enough of this short hair horse hockey. The only heinie hair cut I ever had was in Fort Leonard Wood in ’66. Everyone got one and we had to fork over one quarter dollar for the privilege of having the Army humiliate us making us look as though we were all stunt doubles for the mentally handicapped folks featured in the moving Deliverance.
You’re old now. Let it grow. There’s no drill sergeant or CEO or Jay Ruckdaschel telling you to cut it. Your;re a free man! You’ve got it! Flaunt it! The good Lord blessed me with a full healthy head of it, and by God, I’m gonna use it. The Lord will not hold him guiltless who rejecteth is gift of abundance.

By: hardass

hardass — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:46:19 +0000

i do not like the new cut….linda should punish you

By: Christy

Christy — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 01:15:42 +0000

I think you look just awesome as you have with other haircuts. I always knew your hair was real. Love you – Christy

By: LeAnn

LeAnn — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:14:05 +0000

Hey thanks for the picture. I see your problem, after over 40 years in this business straight hair that has no bend to it and acts like wire is not easy to cut. And I’m sure it’s even worse since it turned gray. so why fight the spike and just get some gel and just spike it, after all alot of guys do that and i think it looks good. Has your barber ever gone through it with a razor? That can be trickey too because if it’s thined out too much it can make the problem worse.

By: flattop

flattop — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 11:01:23 +0000

I had a crewcut when I was a kid and went back to it in the mid 1980′s. I’ve had one ever since then. I think the Oster 76 clipper my barber uses has more horsepower than my car. She’s gentle, though, and is a true expert at giving the perfect flattop. Stop into Grange Avenue Barber Shop sometime, Doug, when you want a REAL haircut!

By: Doug Lund

Doug Lund — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 21:58:42 +0000

Okay, okay..I put in a photo.